1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improvement in or relating to a wheeled cart or wagon, and more particularly to an improvement relating to a wheeled cart or wagon for carrying goods, which is equipped with a service rack or stand for helping the supply personnel lift the commodity to higher points of sales counters or shelves.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, there is an increase in the quantity and variety of commercial goods for sale at the upper markets and at the individual retail stores. With this trend, it is seen that the heights of the showcases or like display stands are generally growing higher.
Accordingly to such increasing heights of the showcases and the like sales aids to be placed in the spaces for sales operations at these markets or stores, it would naturally be required to concurrently provide carts or wagons for carrying the goods to be sold at the points of sales together with certain means such as stepladders for the supply personnel to aid them in placing such goods to higher points of these sales aids.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a typical example of the conventional wheeled cart or wagon of the type as noted above, in which there is provided a stepladder or the like structure (a) with its one end being connected pivotally and directly to a part of the carrying cart (b) and with its other end extending as standing leg portions (c), and which is constructed in such a manner that this stepladder structure may be rotated as a whole around a pivot point (d) on the cart (b), and that this structure (a) may be collapsed or folded to a smaller volume into the interior of the cart (b) when it is not in service as typically shown in FIG. 1, while in service the ladder structure (a) may be extended outwardly from the cart (b) as shown in FIG. 2.
Now, when using the stepladder structure (a) as noted above, it is seen that part of the weight working upon the structure (a) is added upon the service cart (b) through the pivot connection (d), and then the service cart (b) would very possibly become unstable as pairs of wheels (e) and (f) of the service cart (b) would rotate back and forth, thus resulting in a dangerous condition such that the service personnel standing upon the stepladder structure (a) for supplying and/or removing the goods could fall from the stepladder upon the sales aids or even onto the goods displayed at the showcases or the like.
In consideration of such hazardous service conditions, there has been proposed the provision of a wheel brake to work upon the pair of wheels (e), but this counter-measure would not necessarily work well since there would stil remain a risk that the other pair of wheels (f) would possibly move around, thus causing a like risky condition of the device.
The present invention is essentially directed to the provision of an effective solution of such inconveniences and risky conditions in use of such devices as outlined hereinbefore and experienced in the use of the conventional carrying carts or wagons.